Korle Bu hospital fee increases suspended

Accra, Sept. 9, GNA - Mr samuel Nuamah Donkor, Minister of Health, has directed the Korle Bu Hospital Board to suspend increases in fees introduced recently. This is contained in a letter sent to the Chairman of the Hospital Board on Thursday.

The Minister said he appreciates the rationale for paying more at a tertiary facility, to ensure efficient service delivery and research. However, "we need to first mount a public education campaign to inform the public that primary cases should first report at polyclinics, where they will pay lower rates instead of going to a Teaching Hospital which should deal with tertiary cases on referral."

Mr Nuamah Donkoh said he is setting up a task team to work with the Korle Bu Hospital Board to prepare a revised fee schedule for consideration and approval. A number of people who went to the hospital following the increases said they could not pay.